Skills in the UK Construction Industry | Construction News

Four arrested in CITB exam fraud raids

Nicola Harley — Tue, 17 Feb 2026 10:55:14 +0000

Four people have been arrested following police raids over suspected industry exam fraud at a testing centre in Winchester. Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary’s Economic Crime Unit said its officers launched an investigation into suspicious activity at a centre on Southgate Street following a…

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Apprenticeships: A view from the inside

Matthew Davies — Fri, 13 Feb 2026 10:45:10 +0000

There were 24,590 new construction apprentices taken on in 2024/25, the first annual rise in three years, according to a report from professional tool supplier Protrade. At the same time, it was a record year for women beginning apprenticeships in the sector, with a 9…

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School plan will help apprentices avoid limbo

Joshua Stein — Wed, 11 Feb 2026 12:44:26 +0000

A plan to mandate apprenticeships on school building projects could avoid issues experienced by similar schemes run by councils, according to a sector expert. The Department for Education (DfE) announced yesterday that construction firms on school building projects will need to provide apprenticeship and T-level…

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School construction contracts to mandate apprenticeships

Ben Vogel — Tue, 10 Feb 2026 12:49:19 +0000

Construction firms working on school building projects will be required to provide apprenticeship and T level placements under the government’s forthcoming education estates strategy. The policy will create 13,000 apprenticeship and T level placement opportunities linked to the delivery of new and rebuilt schools across…

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‘Workforce reality’ bites as electrical skills gap widens

Ben Vogel — Mon, 09 Feb 2026 11:53:14 +0000

Electrical apprenticeship starts have fallen despite rising demand for skilled labour, new analysis has shown. The Electrical Contractors’ Association’s (ECA’s) 2026 Electrical Skills Index described a 5.5 per cent fall in electrical apprenticeship starts over the past year, despite Skills England’s estimate that the UK…

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Can the construction industry meet the challenge of competence?

Ian Weinfass — Thu, 05 Feb 2026 12:28:46 +0000

In the aftermath of the Grenfell Tower tragedy, one of the biggest-ever construction sector initiatives was launched in a bid to ensure everyone in the industry could prove they were competent. CN examines its progress

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Trade bodies urge changes over new procurement reforms to boost standards

James Wilmore — Fri, 23 Jan 2026 12:45:06 +0000

Subcontractors should be forced to meet the same competence and training standards as tier one firms on public contracts to tackle low-pricing culture, a coalition of trade groups and unions have told the government. The 11-strong coalition wrote to business minister Chris McDonald calling for…

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Balfour Beatty appoints Hercules to energy labour supplier list

Colin Marrs — Mon, 19 Jan 2026 10:16:04 +0000

Balfour Beatty has appointed Hercules plc to its preferred supplier list (PSL) for power transmission and distribution projects. Hercules will supply substation, cabling and civils labour on energy schemes across the UK, strengthening its relationship with the tier one contractor. The AIM-listed labour provider expanded…

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National site standard for women launched

Nicola Harley — Thu, 15 Jan 2026 12:45:04 +0000

A proposed national site standard for women in construction – already adopted by a leading construction body – has been officially launched at the House of Lords. The National Site Standard for Female Operatives, authored by Construction for Women (CFW), is calling for 11 key…

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BESA suspends five members after failed audit checks

Colin Marrs — Tue, 13 Jan 2026 09:16:02 +0000

The Building Engineering Services Association (BESA) has suspended five member firms for failing to meet standards in its independent audit process. This move follows the suspension of 14 firms last year and forms part of the association’s campaign to raise technical and professional standards across…

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